"Az."
Ashlyn whispered softly, looking at .
"..."
I quickly scanned the place without replying.
It was a giant vintage oval room with a do-shaped ceiling made of glass that held back the heavy rain outside.
The place was illuminated with bright lamps hanging on the curved walls a few ters apart.
'It's a different place.' The entire island is the Tomb made for Moshel.
And in every other place, there is a checkpoint that teleports soone to a different place randomly.
"...Az."
My gaze turned back to Ashlyn, standing between and the door on the other side.
There wasn't anyone else in the room.
"Have you seen Ethan?" I asked, walking closer to her.
She smiled softly. "You look tired."
"I suppose so," I mumbled, rubbing my temples. "...Have you seen Ethan?" I asked again.
"...Stop it, Az." She whispered, her lips trembling.
"..."
I looked at her, confused, standing in front of her.
She cocked her head, her bloodshot golden eyes staring into mine.
"...We will talk later," I said as I tried to walk past her.
"...Az." She grabbed my wrist tightly, holding in place. "...Please don't do it... Don't kill him."
Anger bubbled within , swelling in my chest as I yanked my hand away.
"Get out of here," I ordered, suppressing my anger. "The place isn't safe."
"Azariah, please listen to ," she whimpered, rushing to block my path again. "Calm down and think it through—."
"Since when did you start caring for him?" I asked, glaring at her.
"I don't care about him," she mumbled, shaking her head and holding my hand. "I care for you."
"He killed Oliver." I yanked my hand away once again.
"Please, Azariah, think about it," she mumbled, trying to get a hold of .
"Everything will be ruined if you kill him. The church will give you so ridiculous title, and all of the human domain will go against you—."
"What do you want to do!?" I snapped, getting away from her. "...Let him live after knowing he killed Oliver?"
"...Az." Tears trickled down her face as she looked at pleadingly. "...Not now, please."
"Don't look at like that," I growled, an icy mist escaping my mouth. "...Don't you dare....."
"I love you, Az," she whispered, making my words trail off. "And I know you don't have much ti left to live."
"...."
She smiled, her eyes teary as she once again grabbed my hand, gently squeezing it.
"Let's just run away, Az," she whispered, holding back her tears. "...Find a quiet place and live the rest of our ti together."
I tried to slowly remove my hand away, but her grip tightened even more.
"I will take care of your every need. I will do everything you want. Maybe we can start a small business for a living,"
her face blood in a smile as she continued, eyes staring at . "...I will make sure to love you every day and stay by your side—."
"Ashlyn."
Her body moved closer, arms wrapped around as she tried to hug .
"I don't know if it's even possible because I am turning into an Angel and you are a Fallen Angel,"
she gently placed her head on my chest, whispering. "Maybe we can have our own child—."
"Ashlyn." I grabbed her arms, pushing her forcefully.
"Az, please stop trying so hard," she choked out those words, tears streaming down her face. "...Let take care of your burden."
I drew in a deep breath as I closed my eyes.
I had a lot to say, but my mind didn't seem to work together with my mouth.
I stepped back away from her, gently opening my eyes. I mumbled, "....I'm sorry."
I could see her clearly sniffing in place, holding her breath.
"We will talk later," I whispered as I walked past her.
[...She isn't wrong—.]
'I don't care.' Right now is the only ti when I can kill Ethan.
And even then, I don't have much ti left before soone cos to save him.
'I can't let him walk out of this island alive—.' The world around blurred as I twisted my body.
A sword made of light rushed past the place I stood.
I slowly turned back.
"I can't let you kill him, Azariah," Ashlyn whispered softly, both her hands shining brightly in golden light. "...And like it or not, you are coming with ."
"....I don't have ti for your child's play, Ashlyn."
A purple crown slowly materialized in reality, hovering over my head while I conjured a blade of ice in my hand.
"I hope you don't hold a grudge against for this."
She whispered, her body blurred while golden light shimred around her.
She hurled towards , leaving a flash of golden hue.
A wave of golden swords rushed towards . I countered it with my blade before moving it back.
CLANG!!! My blade parried the golden sword she held, aid at my ribs.
Her body disappeared, vanishing from my view.
My nape tingled as tens of swords made of light conjured around .
My arms blurred as I slashed around , shredding the swords into pieces.
Ashlyn reappeared behind , holding a sword with both hands, trying to plunge it into .
I reversed back, sweeping my blade to block her sword, and just as I reached to grab her, a pair of silver wings materialized behind her as she flew away.
I willed my wings to erge. My shoulder blades twisted as the wings burst out of my shirt.
"Heaven's gate."
Ashlyn whispered, and a beautiful gate erged behind her.
I ignored the projections of angels coming out of it as I slashed my blade at her.
Her body blurred before turning into three different beings.
"Tch."
I clicked my tongue in frustration as all three of them flew in different directions.
And before I could even chase after her, the projections of angels attacked .
I conjured three different blades before I rushed in.
My body crashed into the first projection as I plunged my blade, shattering its body.
Another one tried to attack from behind.
Conjuring a slab of ice, I used it as a platform to jump up.
My wings opened wide as I thrust my sword into the closest angel.
I slashed and stabbed while evading most attacks from them until sothing clicked in my mind.
'...Mana.' My mana was depleting, and as I glanced at Ashlyn hovering in the corner, I could guess what she was trying to accomplish.
Biting my lip in frustration, I turned around, conjuring a spear of ice in my hand.
Flexing my shoulder, I threw it at the gate, shattering it.
The angels coming out of it shattered, turning into clusters of gold with it.
Then I moved in the air, close to Ashlyn.
"...Give up, Az," she whispered, looking at pleadingly.
I fluttered my wings, moving closer.
Bang!!
But before I could reach her, a bright light flashed close to my eyes, blinding for a while.
CLANG!!!
My instincts kicked in as I brought my blade close to my chest.
My body was pushed back, the tip of her sword stopped from piercing by my blade, but it hurtled backward.
"Urgh."
I groaned as my back hit the round-shaped wall.
I deflected Ashlyn's sword again, breaking my blade in the process as I used the wall to push my body forward.
Ashlyn flew back while I chased after her.
I conjured another blade, feeling my mana depleting even more.
Her body split into three once more, and I hacked my blade wildly at the one I was sure wasn't real.
Her body turned into a cluster of gold before returning to her original self.
Ashlyn's face stiffened as I rushed towards her.
Without thinking twice, she propelled back before raising her hand, finger pointing at , light compressed at the tip.
'Fuck!' I cursed as I tried to fly away but was too late.
So I did the second-best thing: bracing myself for impact.
Boom!! A laser flew in my direction, hitting my stomach, but I covered it with ice just in ti to prevent it from passing through my body.
Crack!!
The ice started cracking as my body flew down.
"Urgh."
I groaned as I fell on my back, hitting the ground.
I took a deep breath as I sat back up, looking at her hovering in the air.
'Andarnaur's ring.' I thought, and the ground just beneath my palm beca engraved with a sun marking.
Without thinking, I fluttered my wings as I flew back towards her.
Three more swords of light rushed toward , which I easily dodged.
Flying closer to her, I slashed my blade at her.
She folded her wings before rolling past my attack.
Her wings opened again as she kicked my body, throwing high.
My body collided with the ceiling, and I quickly touched it with my palm.
A mark of the moon engraved quickly on it, glowing gently, extending to a width of one ter.
I folded my wings as I looked down, the sa happening with the sun mark.
Gravity did its work as I fell down once again, making sure the markings were between and her.
Ashlyn flew closer towards , but just as she reached below the ceiling marking, I whispered, "Vacuum."
A cylindrical purple light erged from both ends, engulfing Ashlyn in between.
Her body froze in place, with two ends sending waves of gravitational force as if trying to compress her body.
I quickly flew inside the container, grabbing her by her throat.
The gravity didn't work on as I flew down, slamming her body hard on the ground.
I started choking her, making her eyes widen in pain.
A small blade of ice conjured in my other hand as I hurled it at her face.
She closed her eyes, but I quickly lodged the blade beside her.
The sun and moon markings vanished as I glared at her.
"...Never show your face again," I said through my clenched jaw, loosening my grip.
Her eyes gently opened back, sadness and betrayal clear in them.
I touched my swollen stomach as I walked towards the gate.
[...Az—.]
'Not now, El.' I cut his words, suppressing my own emotions as I heard her crying behind .
The atmosphere changed once again as I walked through the gate.
It was a different place but completely empty.
I walked forward, the atmosphere kept changing until I stopped in an open field.
And imdiately, my body stiffened as I looked at the man alongside Ethan.
Ruby also stood beside Ethan, bandaging his forearm.
"...How have you been?" Delwyn asked coldly, staring into my eyes. "Azariah."
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